William J O'Donnell

William J. O'Donnell was from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He joined the Army Air Corps in 1940. He, like most fighter pilots, had always had a yearning to fly. As a teenager he went through a Civilian Pilot Training programme and and obtained a Private Pilot's License. He then waited until he was old enough to become an Aviation Cadet and applied, with 13 others, for admittance to that programme. He was the only one of the group to pass the physical examination and was enlisted in December 1940. Upon graduation at Craig Field, Selma, Alabama, he received his commission and wings and became an instructor in single engine advanced raining. In October 1944 he went overseas to England as a captain and was assigned to the 4th fighter Group, 335th Squadron. He flew a full tour with 63 combat missions and then transferred to the 336th squadron as Squadron Commander, the first of seven squadrons he would eventually command prior to his retirement.
Colonel O'Donnell had five enemy aircraft destroyed to his credit when the war ended. He had earned the Distinguished Flying Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Air Medal with 15 Oak Leaf Clusters, the Bronze Star with Oak Leaf Cluster, and the Croix de Guerre with Silver Star.

Units served with

GroupSome of the pilots of the 4th Fighter Group had seen many hours of combat by the time they joined the 4th Fighter Group as they had volunteered with the Royal Canadian Air Force and the Royal Air Force. The three 'Eagle Squadrons' of RAF Fighter...

SquadronThe 335th Fighter Squadron was the offspring of No. 121 (Eagle) Squadron RAF. Formed on 21 May 1941, No. 121 was the second of the three Eagle Squadrons composed of American volunteers flying out of England. They were known as the "Chiefs" and were...

SquadronThe 336th Fighter Squadron was constituted by the War Department on 22 august 1942, and was activated at Bushey Hall, England, on 12 September. It had been designated as No. 133 (Eagle) Squadron, and was made up of American volunteers to the Royal Air...

Associated Place

Military site : airfieldRAF Debden, construction of which began in 1935, is perhaps most famous as a Battle of Britain fighter airfield, partly responsible for the defence of London in 1940. In 1942 it was also home to three RAF 'Eagle Squadrons’ of volunteer American pilots...